The End of an Act
by ChronicCynic
Summary: A fire. Who knew something as simple as a fire would be the death of Voldemort’s second evil reign over the wizarding world? And what happens when a tragic event rattles the golden trio?


**-Epilogue: Burn It Down-**

A fire. Who knew something as simple as a fire would be the death of Voldemort's second evil reign over the wizarding world? And this time, it would be for good.

"Harry, get out of there! NOW!" I screamed. He had gone in to save Hermione, but that had been ages ago. The Marauder's Map told me he'd gotten to her about an hour ago, and I was starting to debate on going in or not. Voldemort's dementors were becoming increasingly hard to fight and if I went in, there would be no-one keeping them out. After about 10 minutes, I cast the best Patronus I could and went in. I hoped it would stall them long enough for me to find out what was going on with Harry and Hermione.

Running was quite a task in this cave, the air was thick enough to see, even despite the cave's darkness. What little light the cave opening provided diminished more with each step I took. And still I journeyed, more reluctantly now, down the narrow pathway.

"_Lumos_," my wand lights, but I still must squint. "Harry? Hermione?" I see a small movement out the side of my eye. After turning, I saw nothing but a hand, seemingly from nowhere grabbed my ankle. Panting, I pointed my wand in its direction.

"STOP! It's me! Ron, it's just me Hermione!"

"Hermione? What are you doing down there?" Her hair was matted with sweat to her head, her face covered in ash, and her clothes beaten and tattered, not unlike herself.

"Where's Harry?"

"He's right here," She put an arm around Harry "He was knocked out when…I don't have any time to explain, just take him I can't carry him, and I've lost my wand so can't levitate him either. I-"

"What in bloody hell do you want me to do? I'm so confused."

"Voldemort had in his possession something called the firestone which was enabling him to control any wizard in most positions of authority. Harry was able to steal it. Long story short, Harry used some parsel tongue to set in into flames and now Voldemort is dead. We have to hurry and get out of here, the fire should start spreading out of this cave and across the grounds in a little..."

I looked further down the cave pathway in time to notice a shining light that wasn't there before coming toward us. To top it all off, I realized that my Patronus' effects must be wearing off by this time. There was no time to run away and even if there were, the dementors would get to us. I needed to do something quickly. And then I realized the spell I'd learned in Defense Against the Dark Arts, It was supposed to use the spell caster's life force to protect another. The spell wasn't much but it was all I had.

"_Contego_" I shouted. Golden embers sparked around the tip of my wand and for a moment I thought it hadn't worked. But then in a shower of colors, a shield covered us three tattered Hogwarts students…before everything went black.

_The war that had been fought on those Hogwarts grounds was finally over. Voldemort was dead, and so was his kingdom of evil. Anyone who was left out on the field that day was, sadly, burned and killed by the fire. But most fortunately all those injured in the battle who had been sent to the infirmary along with those fighting the good fight against Voldemort's half-dead minions inside the school. It is a truly terrible memory for both seventh year Harry and Hermione whose best friend, Ron was put into a coma that day_.

**_5 Years Later_**

Harry sat in silence remembering the day he lost his friend to coma, as he did everyday. Life since that battle prospered and grew for the world around him, but for him life was being rebuilt.

It took him two years to talk to any people other than Hermione and Ginny after that. He and Ginny had gotten married 3 years after, but their marriage never really felt right. Ginny forbade Harry to see Hermione because she was angry with Her for not saving Ron. He tried everything to make it work but it just didn't happen, they got divorced one year later but his ties with Hermione remained severed.

Today was the day he wanted to rebuild the bridge to Hermione. He grabbed his robes and apparated to the front of Hermione's flat.

**This is just a test to see who likes my story! There's more of this chapter but I've got to know if it's liked before I post anymore. So review, I promise the review monster won't get to it!**


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